The road to the Alltech FEI European Jumping & Dressage Championships 2009

The countdown has begun! The Alltech FEI European Jumping & Dressage Championships 2009, the most important equestrian event to be held in the UK this decade, will start in just 60 days.

These major Championships are set to welcome around 50,000 spectators to see the best of British and European equestrian talent compete at Windsor in one of the highest class fields of competition ahead of London 2012. UK Sport, the nation’s elite sports events agency, is supporting the event via its National Lottery-funded World Class Events Programme (WCEP). The WCEP aims to support the performance objectives of British Olympic and Paralymic Sports as well as providing opportunities for the development of officials and volunteers. Currently, these Championships are the only equestrian event UK Sport is supporting in advance of London 2012.  

The show ground, set in the spectacular private grounds of Windsor Castle, will also welcome the cream of International talent. Top stars like Olympic Gold Medallist Laura Kraut will be making the trip to England to participate in some of the non-Championship action and soak up the atmosphere of such a unique event, which sees the European Jumping and Dressage Championships held at the same time and venue for the very first time.

As a predecessor to the Alltech World Equestrian Games 2010, Windsor is to embrace a little of Kentucky from across the waters, as the Europeans will also help showcase exactly what the games has in store.

The next few days/weeks/months will be crucial to all riders hoping to qualify for selection. And we'll keep you up to date with all the news along the way.

60 days and counting!